Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Advent 18: CHANGE IS IN THE AIR

 

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

                                                                           ~Psalm 139:14


That scripture snippet is from my friend Judy's favorite psalm:  Psalm 139.  


I've been thinking a lot about Judy lately.  She recently moved to Texas, and although it's been a long time since I moved myself, I well remember how unnerving it was.  New house and new neighbors, new job in a new state, new doctors, and a whole new landscape.  

Maybe Judy and I were chatting about all the anxiety-producing changes in her life last night in my dreams, I don't really recall, but I do know that when I woke up this morning a little excerpt from her favorite psalm was running continuously through my head, but slightly adapted.   I am fearfully and wonderfully made had morphed into:

I am fearfully and wonderfully changing....

 

FEARFULLY changing.   FEARFUL change.  Honestly, is there any other kind?


All over the planet people are changing. They are born and they die, they get married and divorced, they suffer and they celebrate.  Nothing and no one stands still.  Our very cells are constantly dying off and being replaced; someone once told me that every three years our bodies are entirely new.  We are built from the ground up for movement and change.  

Yet change--even welcome change--can cause stress.  

Social scientists have compiled long lists of the most common and most stressful life events that affect us.  Nothing but a long list of changes. Things like death and birth and marriage and divorce and moving and new jobs. Each "stresser" has a number assigned to it, and when you add your numbers up, if your stress total is too high, the experts claim you can expect depression to come calling, at the very least.  (Did you realize that just the anticipation of Christmas coming is worth twelve stress points?  There's a sad view of Advent!)

But here's the good news:  our stress decreases when our attitude toward change is one of acceptance.  

 

WONDERFULLY Changing.  WONDERFUL Change.  Why not? 

 
I am the handmaiden of the Lord.  
Let it be unto me according to your word.
~(Luke 1: 38)

Has anyone ever had better reason to be fearful than the young maiden who had to explain to her fiancee and family that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit?  What a story. 

Mary's song of praise, The Magnificat, is a hymn of empowerment sung in acknowledgement that her change in status demonstrates for all the world the power of her God.


Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me, 
and holy is his name.
~(Luke 1:48, 49)


Above all, beyond all, Mary finds the hand of God at work in all things.  Even change.

We are invited to do the same.

Advent:  Embrace the Wonder.  Accept the Fear.  

 

God is at hand.








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